Read the Runes
by TheMonochromeDragon
Summary: Gon was everything to her. Her savior, her precious little brother, her very heart. He was her anchor when reality seemed to slip between her fingers. And she swore- with every breath she drew in this crazy, nonsensical world- that she would protect him. No matter what the future had in store... This fanfiction is based entirely off the manga. I do not own Hunter X Hunter.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! It's been so long! I've, uh... I've been busy. I moved, got a job, got another job, began working six days a week, and then my laptop just randomly died about a month ago. I only recently managed to send it in for repairs... My sister has been kind enough to lend me hers, because this story just would not leave me alone.**

 **I don't know how often I'll be able to update this, 'cuz A) my sister might need her laptop and B) my work schedule is fluctuating pretty wildly at the moment thanks to some new hires needing training.**

 **But... uh... yeah.**

 **As for Reality Check, it's on hiatus because I've had a better idea for the story. It may take a while, but eventually it'll come back.**

 **In the meantime, please enjoy this Hunter X Hunter fanfic. It's been a while since I read/watched it, but I've recently become obsessed with it again, soooo... join me as I rediscover the amazingness that is Hunter X Hunter.**

 **This will be based entirely off the manga, btw. I do make some small edits to the dialogue when the grammar isn't entirely correct, but other than that it should match up pretty well.**

 **Last but not least, if anyone wants to help edit this story, I would be eternally grateful. I don't really have the time to spell-check everything anymore, and I feel as though the flow of the story is a little jagged at the moment... though I'm not sure how to fix it :/**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **\- TheMonochromeDragon**

 **~xXx~**

 _Monstrous animals, rare species..._

 _Buried riches, hidden treasures..._

 _Worlds of demons, unexplored lands..._

 _The word "unknown" seems magic..._

 _And some men are attracted by this force..._

 _They are called "Hunters"!_

\- **Hunter X Hunter**

 **~xXx~**

The leaves fell softly, landing in small piles on the ground surrounding her lounging figure. Every so often one would alight upon her body, only to be displaced soon after, sent drifting to the forest floor by a small burst of wind. Slowly- lazily- she twirled a hand through the fallen foliage, humming quietly.

"Rune!"

She smiled, remaining comfortably within her little makeshift nest as the sound of pounding feet grew ever-closer.

 _Thud_

 _Thud_

 _Thud_

 _Woosh_

The air in her lungs was expelled in a huff, the full weight of a twelve-year-old boy crashing into her torso with all the force of a speeding truck. The young woman let out a breathy chuckle, her arms snaking around the boy's wriggling form to pull him close.

"Gon." She greeted, burying her face in the spiky tufts of hair that tickled her chin. The boy giggled, squirming against her iron grip. Rune pressed her lips firmly to the top of his head, cuddling a moment longer before releasing the green-clad ball of energy. "What brings you here, _mon cœur_?" She questioned as she sat up, the boy shifting to sit in her lap.

"I caught it, Rune-nee!" He boasted, leaning his head back against her chest. "I caught the Lord of the Lake!"

Rune grinned, running her hands through the boy's soft green-black locks as he detailed his struggle against the large fish. A week, he said. He would leave in a week for the Hunter Exams, one of the most brutal and dangerous series of tests in the world.

He would pass. Of that she had no doubt.

"Well then, _mon cœur._ " She hummed, and the boy jutted out his chin to peer up at his pseudo-sister. "I suppose I must get ready to join you, then."

Gon's smile was nearly blinding.

 **~xXx~**

The villagers were huddled around Gon, showering the boy in gifts and well-wishes. Rune watched in amusement from her place beside Mito, curling a lanky arm around the somewhat weepy woman's shoulders. Mito sniffled quietly, leaning into the younger woman's side.

"You'll take care of him?" Gon's aunt whispered. Her words were hoarse, full of fear and desperation. She had faith in Gon, Rune knew, but she needed something... more. Something to reassure her of the boy's well-being. Though, if Mito was being honest with herself, nothing would ever be enough to reassure her until the boy himself came home to her, safe and sound.

" _Bien sûr._ " Rune crooned, her heart aching for the woman who had become something like a mother figure to her over the years. "Of course, Mito. He is like my brother. I will do my best to keep him safe." Her bright cerulean gaze bored into the shorter woman's own hazel. Sensing the girl's sincerity, Mito allowed herself to relax- if only a little.

"Mito-san!" Gon called, spotting his aunt and making his way over. He stopped in front of her, his usual smile just a tad weak. "Thanks." The boy murmured. "For all you've done for me."

"Gon..." Mito's tears finally began to fall, shame written across her features. "I'm sorry... I lied..." She whimpered, bringing a hand to her lips. "Ging never abandoned you. It was me who took you from your father, asking the court for your supervision." Her guilt seemed a physical weight within her heart, pulling her shoulders down- away from Rune's comforting embrace. The young woman frowned, but respected her sort-of mother's need for space.

"Hmm..." Gon mused after a moment. "I knew you lied to me." Mito glanced up, shocked. "When you lie to me, you can't look me in the face!" And then the boy leaned up to hug his aunt, forgiving as always.

 **~xXx~**

"Take care of yourself!" Gon called, waving wildly back to the shore. Mito stood at the edge of the dock, waving back. "I promise I'll become a Super Hunter and be back!"

" _À la prochaine_ , Mito-san!" Rune hollered, perched behind Gon to say her farewells. "Until next time!"

The pair waved and waved, refusing to stop until Whale Island was nearly out of sight. Then they stood, side by side, and watched as their home drifted below the horizon. Neither said a word, but each leaned against the other, glad for the support.

"Ha ha ha!" The mocking laughter drew them out of their peace, the source of it a well-muscled man leaning against the side of the boat behind them. He looked smug, self-confident beyond what Rune could see of his abilities. She sneered back, her hands resting protectively on Gon's shoulder's. "You're joking, kid." The man scoffed, smirking. "Just on this boat, we're a tenth of the people hoping to become Hunters." Others were staring now, amused by what seemed like the crushing of a twelve-year-old's spirit. "Every year, from everywhere around the country, thousands of men- each one more skilled than the last- will come to the exams." The man's smirk grew. "Lots of people... but so few become Hunters."

Gon was quiet, his soft brown gaze gliding over his fellow passengers. Rune leaned over, resting her chin atop his head, meeting the eyes of every person who glanced in their direction. They were quick to look away.

"Each one has their own priorities, and here it's common to see people killing their own companions..." The man glanced at Rune. She seethed at the insinuation, but remained silent, her piercing blue irises unnerving him swiftly enough. "You see, kid" He continued, plowing on despite the chills crawling down his spine "it's easier to say than do."

Rune let out a huff, stood up straight, and gently guided Gon away from the irritating egoist.

Gon did not resist.


	2. Chapter 2

**My dog died. I'm a fucking wreck. Needed something to take my mind off things for a bit so here you go. Sorry if it's shit.**

 **Thanks to all of you who've already favorited/followed this story.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **TheMonochromeDragon**

 **~xXx~**

Lightning flashed across the dark skies, blindingly bright against the inky blackness that surrounded them. Thunder was quick to follow, deafeningly loud, overpowering the roar of the monstrous waves that churned below them. The ship was tossed between them as though it were nothing more than a toy, its passengers hard-pressed to stay upright as they were jolted from side to side. Few managed it.

Suddenly there was the peculiar sense of weightlessness, and though she knew he could withstand it himself, Rune kept a hand clamped on Gon's shoulder. The pair stood near the back wall of the cabin, propping themselves against one of the poles that held up the hammocks. Other passengers tumbled by them. It was obvious Gon wished he could help, but they could do little short of flat-out tying the passengers to the poles- which was not an option, with so many loose objects flying at high speeds across the room.

They would simply have to wait it out.

 **~xXx~**

Gon pattered back and forth beneath the watchful gaze of his pseudo-sister, doing odd jobs around the ship now that the weather had calmed. Rune sat in a cot in the middle of the room, a snoozing blonde in the next cot over and a smirking young man in a suit reading what looked like a manga on the floor to her left. Both seemed unaffected by the storm, which spoke volumes of their strengths.

The captain stopped by at some point, observing the disaster the room had become. He watched as Gon dashed about the room, his eyes landing on the blonde, Rune, and the reading man as Gon passed them by. Seemingly pleased, he mumbled about "sailors tougher than the others" before exiting the cabin.

"Gon." Rune called, drawing the boy's attention. "Let's get some fresh air. _À l'extérieur._ " She stood from her hammock, ignoring the odd looks she got for her foreign words. Gon nodded, setting down the laundry he had been collecting. His sister needed to be outside, he knew- after living in the forests of Whale Island for so long, enclosed spaces made her uncomfortable.

Blue skies greeted them as they reached the deck, gulls cawing as they soared through the air. The sailors scurried from here to there, running the ship with an efficiency that Rune could admire. The captain strolled by, nursing some form of alcoholic beverage.

"Good work boys! You have two hours ahead of you." He bellowed. "The worst is yet to come." His warning only served to encourage his men, who returned to their scurrying with renewed vigor. The man, content that his sailors would prepare them for what was headed their way, turned his attention towards the two passengers standing at the front of his ship.

Rune eyed him curiously as he approached, though Gon seemed too focused on the gulls to pay him much heed.

"What's up, young'uns?" The red-nosed seafarer questioned, meeting Rune's razor-sharp gaze with nothing but lazy amusement. "Are you seasick?" The inquiry seemed more in jest than anything else- he had seen the boy, at least, running to and fro, unfazed by the night's chaos.

"There'll be another storm." Gon replied quietly. "Even bigger." He glanced up at the lanky woman beside him. "Right, Rune-nee?"

" _Oui, mon cœur._ " She affirmed, watching as the gulls fluttered past, fleeing whatever was brewing in the skies ahead. " _Un orage affreux._ A terrible storm. It is coming." The captain blinked at her, thrown off by her strange and exotic accent. The language she spoke was unfamiliar to him as well, despite his many travels. It was obvious enough that the common tongue- the "Hunter's language"- was not her first.

"Hmm..." He brushed off the girl's peculiarity with a swig of his drink. "What makes you say that?"

"A harsh wind is blowing, and the current is quite strong." Gon explained. He glanced at the frightened avians that hovered above, worried. The other passengers had barely made it through the first storm- he doubted they would particularly enjoy the second. "And the gulls tell me to be careful."

"You understand the bird's language?" The captain gaped. That was a rare skill, usually only seen in great Hunters. For a boy no older than twelve to have it...

"Not everything. Rune-nee understands more." Gon answered, peering out at the momentarily calm sea. His features sat in grim lines, concern radiating off his small form. The captain seemed in awe for a moment, recognition flashing swiftly through his eyes. Rune watched him carefully, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You two embarked from Whale Island, didn't you?" The man's skipper hat now partially hid his gaze, a mere glint of his curious stare peeking out at the duo before him. Rune hummed, leaning back on one hip to more properly observe the red-nosed fellow. He knew something- or so it appeared.

"Yes." Gon answered, taking no notice of just how serious the captain had suddenly become. His oblivious nature was nothing new to Rune, though it still made her chuckle. He blinked at her, looking for all the world like a confused puppy.

"What does your father do for a living, boy?" Rune jerked at the question, though Gon did not even look back. The captain was surprised to a see a smirk crawl across the girl's face. It was one of knowing, a mixture of amusement and frustration hidden behind that wry expression. And if that had not confirmed his suspicions, the boy's next word did the job.

"Hunter!" He exclaimed, grinning widely. Rune's smirk faded into something more genuine, the teen running a hand through her bright blonde hair in fond exasperation. "I've only seen him in pictures," Gon admitted, "but I admire him a lot."

The captain did not fail to notice as Rune's smile faded, her attention elsewhere. As he guided her charge to the helm, she could only follow in a somewhat sombre silence.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again! I have not given up on this story, no matter how much my attention has drifted. But oH MY GOD SO MUCH DIALOGUE. There is sooooooooooooo much dialogue in Hunter X Hunter. Which is great for my word count, but bad for my descriptive abilities. There are only so many different ways to say "he/she said".**

 **Oh well. I did my best.**

 **Sorry it ends a bit abruptly. I want to keep the chapters similar in length, so about 1000 words each. If I'd gone any further, it probably would've gone to about 2000. Like I said- so much dialogue.**

 **A thank you to this story's followers; BlackCross642, Chiasmus, Crossdresser123, Gothgirl252, Happywheal, HeartlessNobody13, Hime2700Tsuna, MadreaderBoguswriter, Maistyria, NanashiSora, OhWonder, RedRaptor711, TheTinyMouse, TotallyFangirling0037, akihanabito, chibigokugirl, elisayn, fantasy.92, flippityflip, marcat37, miaandB, shubhgup, slayer of the wind, and vsh1998 ~**

 **A gigantic thank you to those who favorited; Aria868, BlackCross642, Happywheal, Hime2700Tsuna, MadreaderBoguswriter, NanashiSora, RedRaptor711, ShinobiShinigami58, TotallyFangirling0037, fantasy.92, and flippityflip ~**

 **Reviewers :**

 **TheTinyMouse -** _ **Thank you very much! I appreciate your support!**_

 **fantasy.92 -** _ **Buonasera! My Italian is quite limited, but grazie! Here is your update :)**_

 **elisayn -** ** _Your English is quite good, don't worry! I chose French for two reasons. 1) I studied French as a child in Canada, and then again for all four years of my American High School education, and 2) because I wanted to create a bit of a language barrier between Rune and the other characters so that I wouldn't become too reliant upon dialogue to describe what was happening. I admit I do Google a few phrases to double check spelling and conjugation. Aussi, merci pour votre soutien. Your review made me smile during a very sad time for me. J'espère que vous aimez ce chapitre! And I would love your help with my French. I'm not fluent, and I make lots of mistakes!_**

 **Thank you all for reading,**

 **TheMonochromeDragon**

 **~xXx~**

Rune surveyed the fleeing lifeboats with a critical eye, her lips twisting into a vindictive sneer. 'Easier to say than do' indeed. Perhaps, however, it was better that they flee- if they could not even handle a simple storm, the exam itself would no doubt be the death of them. Truly, they were the very definition of the word pitiful.

"Well then, you're the last four?" The captain hummed, drawing the teen's attention from the window. "Your names?" The question had a strange weight behind it. Rune's eyes narrowed, her figure drawing up to stand tall beside her pseudo-brother.

"I am called Leorio." The second-tallest of the bunch introduced, a hint of derision in his eyes as he peered over the rim of his glasses. Rune snorted quietly, swiftly disguising it as a small cough as the young man's gaze fell on her. His smirk grew slightly, though his gaze did not linger.

" _Je suis_ Rune." A minute dip of the head accompanied the words, her arms crossing somewhat defensively over her chest. More than one pair of eyes fell upon her, their confusion an almost physical weight upon her person. She made no moves to explain herself.

"I'm Gon." The spiky-haired boy beside her grinned, barreling right through the awkward tension. He stood proudly beside his sister, one hand on his hip and the other on his weapon- his favorite fishing rod. Rune smiled- a soft, minuscule thing- and brought a hand down to rest on his shoulder.

"My name is Kurapika." The blonde to his right voiced, seeming to give up on the idea that he could translate Rune's foreign words if he simply stared at her hard enough. His features were schooled flat, devoid of much beyond a vague sense of determination.

"Why do you want to become Hunters?" The captain questioned, mischief and secrets waltzing across his features.

"Excuse me?" The inquiry was swiftly met with firm resistance from Leorio, the young man seemingly suspicious of their captain. "I don't think you're an examiner." It was as if he were daring the older man to contradict his words. The captain did not rise to the challenge.

"Answer!" He demanded simply.

"Why should we?" Leorio demanded right back.

Rune sighed, gently nudging the kid beside her. He was more than happy to step forward, raising his hand as he spoke as though he were in a classroom.

"I want to know what my father's work is like!" He explained cheerfully. Leorio stepped in front of him, scowling lightly.

"Hey, not so fast brat. Who told you to answer?" The young man moved to step closer to the boy, but decided against it when Rune cleared her throat. He settled for pointing in a somewhat threatening manner. "Don't you have any team spirit?"

"I'm giving my reasons, what's wrong with that?" Gon shot back.

" _Oui_. Just because you are being a stubborn _abruti,_ does not mean the rest of us have to be also." Rune agreed, moving forward to face the captain. Leorio sputtered. "I will become a Hunter _pour protéger mon cœur._ Er... _"_ She paused a moment, squinting at nothing as she attempted to translate. "To... protect Gon. _Oui._ To protect Gon."

Gon beamed at her.

"You insulted me, didn't you?" Leorio muttered. Rune flicked her gaze at him, smirking briefly. "I knew it!" He hissed, his chest puffing in a fit of rage.

"I agree with that guy." Kurapika intercepted. Leorio deflated, turning his anger upon the other blonde with the same vaguely threatening pointing he had used on Gon. His protests were ignored, however, Kurapika skillfully pretending that the lanky man did not exist. "I prefer not to answer your unpleasant questions rather than lie to you. I think lying is more shameful than being greedy."

Rune took a moment to ponder his words, tilting her head as they swam through her mind. It was a bit of an odd remark- no one had even mentioned greed, and yet he had thought it important enough to compare to. And, well, if he thought lying was that bad... he certainly wasn't going to like _her_.

"Speaking honestly in front of people I've just met..." The boy continued seriously, gesturing to himself with an open palm. "My reasons for becoming a Hunter are mine, and are personal. That is why it is impossible for me to answer you here." Rune supposed she could appreciate such a need for privacy. It was not easy to share one's life with strangers, after all. Their captain, however, was less understanding.

"I see..." He grumbled. "In that case, you must get off my ship as soon as possible."

The two who had refused to answer drew back in shock, gawking at the robust man.

"You still don't understand?" The captain huffed, unimpressed. "The Hunter's Exam has already begun."

Outside thunder cracked, the boat shifting as the first of the storm's waves met their hull. It was the perfect backdrop for what had just been spoken, the distant lightning casting dramatic shadows over the lot.

"You can't ignore that there are as many Hunter applicants as there are stars in the sky." Their red-nosed seafarer explained, bracing himself against the wall. "Because of the lack of time and space, it's impossible to judge everyone." The rocking settled for a moment, and the rotund man stepped forward. "So guys like me are used to diminish the number of candidates. So then, except for you four, all of the other passengers have been registered as failures for the Grand Jury. Even if they _can_ get to the place the exams are being held, the doors will stay closed to them."

The boat rocked again, creaking and groaning against the winds that continually buffeted the sturdy vessel.

"The decision of whether or not you go on to the exams belongs to me." The statement was firm, an unyielding declaration of influence. "So put away your mistrust and answer my question."

An almost visible tension danced through the air. Leorio an Kurapika stood in silence for a long moment, each internally weighing the pros and cons of confessing their motivations to this oddly serious drunkard.

Kurapika was the first to speak up.


End file.
